Chew a fennel seed or nibble on a leaf and immediately the taste buds are infused with the flavour of aniseed. Of all the herb flavours, this is the most distinctive.

Unlike the true aniseed (Pimpinella anisum) that is grown for its seeds and is regarded as a spice, the leaves of anise flavoured herbs like fennel, chervil, tarragon and basil, have a milder taste that impart a delicacy of flavour to savoury foods.

Perennial Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), better known as bronze fennel, is a beautiful garden herb that grows into a stately 2m high specimen with soft feathery leaves that catches the sunlight. As a native to the shores of the Mediterranean, it likes well drained soil and a sunny position and does not always survive very wet or cold winters. Being a perennial it can be cut down when the leaves start to fade and it will shoot up again.

It produces attractive yellow flower heads the size of dinner plates and at least one plant should be allowed to go to seed so that the seeds can be collected and dried. They have a stronger taste than the leaves and can also be used for flavouring as well as for making an aromatic tea that is an excellent digestive.

Use the leaves in salads and salad dressings, as an ingredient for stuffing for chicken, fish and lamb, and for lightly flavouring egg dishes. The bulb can be sliced and added to salads, stir fries, and baked vegetables. The bulb can also be cooked whole and served with parsley sauce.

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is a lower growing plant, about 630cm high and 30cm wide, and it is also known as French parsley. It has very attractive lacy leaves and it can grow in full sun or semi-shade in light, well drained, composted soil. Chervil grows well in pots and window boxes and if kept in shape through frequent use and pruning grows into a bushy plant with plenty of leaves.

The fresh leaves and flowers have a light, subtle flavour that does not withstand drying or prolonged cooking; so should only be added just before serving. Chervil works well on its own or in combination with other herbs.

In French cuisine it is an essential ingredient of fines herbes, a mix of equal parts of chervil, tarragon, parsley and chives that is often added to omlettes and sauces.
On its own Chervil is good for flavouring egg and cheese dishes, vegetables, white sauce, soups, chicken and white fish. The raw leaves provide additional vitamin C, carotene, iron and magnesium so are a nutritious addition to salads, herb dressings and herb butters.

French Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus var sativa) is a perennial that goes dormant in winter but comes back to life in spring. Don’t confuse it with Russian Tarragon, a variety that is grown from seed and that has a bitter taste and lacks the aromatic oils of the French variety.

French Tarragon grows into a bushy shrub, about 40cm high and wide with narrow green leaves. It’s a good idea to replant every few years as the plants lose their vigour over time.

Use the anise flavour of French Tarragon leaves with delicately flavoured foods such as eggs, chicken, fish and veal as well as vegetables, potatoes, stuffed tomatoes, rice dishes, avocado fillings.

Tarragon is the main ingredient of Sauce Béarnaise, Béchamel, Hollandaise and Tartare and is used in combination with chervil, parsley and chives as fines herbes for adding to egg dishes and sauces.

Tarragon vinegar can be made by steeping the fresh herbs in white wine vinegar which is then used in salad dressings and marinades. Its versatility doesn’t end there because it can be also be incorporated into butters, hot or cold soups, and mustards.

Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is one of the most popular culinary herbs and is in a class of its own. It has a unique taste closely related to its fragrance which is spicy sweet and probably comes closest to the anise flavour.

It is an annual that grows quickly and easily with luscious bright green leaves and white flowers that should be nipped off to prevent the plant going to seed and to keep the bush compact. However it is a good idea to let just one plant go to seed because the bees love it and it is attractive in the garden.

It does best in a position that receives full or morning sun and should be planted in well composted soil that drains well. Water regularly during hot summer months.

To impart the fragrance to food, add the leaves only at the end of cooking. They should not be bruised except when making pesto when they are pounded together with garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and parmesan cheese.

Basil has a special affinity with tomatoes and can be used in any tomato sauce, soup, Mediterranean vegetable dish or pasta as well as in salads, sandwiches, chicken stuffing, and pizzas.